T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Bellaire Mayor Ed Marling is retiring after serving 4 years as Bellaire’s Mayor, 10 years as Shadyside’s Mayor, and 10 years on Shadyside’s village council.

BELLAIRE — Bellaire Mayor Ed Marling is planning to retire after serving Belmont County communities for 24 years.

Before serving as Bellaire’s mayor for four years, Marling served as Shadyside’s mayor for 10 years and another 10 years Shadyside Village Council. He served Shadyside from 1986 until 2006.

“I’m going to be 82 years old, so it’s time to get out of it,” Marling said.

When Marling decided to run for Bellaire mayor, he said he didn’t tell his wife Sandy. He didn’t even plan on running, but was driving his car to Whiteside in St. Clairsville for maintenance and decided to stop at the Belmont County Board of Elections to pay his fee to apply for his name to appear on the ballot.

“I was sitting in my chair reading the newspaper and she’s talking to someone on the phone, and next thing I know, a shoe came flying past my face,” Marling said. “She said, ‘Well, I can’t beat you so I might as well join you. I’ll go with you, but you have to promise me you won’t do it again, and I said I’m done after this one.”

Marling added that, although he’s retiring, he has no plans of riding off into the sunset. He already has joined the Bellaire Citizens Action Group to stay active. He’ll also join the village’s park district in 2026 to help with cutting grass and relining the basketball courts in the village.

He said that it’s important to him that the public basketball court is well maintained so that the community summer leagues can continue.

“I plan on doing anything to keep busy. I’m not gonna sit back and waste what time I’ve got left,” Maling said.

He added that Sandy will no longer have to worry about him leaving the house at 5 a.m. to come to the mayor’s office.

“I’m here at about 5:15 a.m. Every morning I go down and stop and get me a coffee at the Marathon, and come in and fire my laptop up and see what’s coming up, who’s available, and what messages I got,” Marling said. “This job is what you want to make of it. If you only want to come in two hours a day and think you can get it all done, it ain’t going to work.”

He added that he knows that the village is in great hands with Robert Dodrill replacing him as mayor.

“I’ve known Moose [Dodrill] for years, and he knows how I feel, and I wish him all the best,” Marling said. “I just hope the employees accept him like they accepted me.”

He added that the village’s staff were great employees and he will miss working with them daily.

Marling highlighted council members Bill Schmitt Jr., Janet Richardson, and Elizabeth Dugmore for being the glue that kept the fabric of the village together.

“I don’t think there’ll be any problems when Moose comes in,” he said.

Schmitt said that he appreciates everything Marling has done for the village in his four years as Mayor.

“He stepped up at a time when we needed him and we are extremely grateful. He helped me a lot coming into office for my first term and I will forever be thankful,” Schmitt said.

Marling’s nephew, Shadyside Village Councilman Sam Carpino, said Marling is a great person who is well respected.

“If you had a problem you could call him at any hour, he actually cares about the village,” Carpino said.

Dodrill will be taking over mayoral duties for the village at the beginning of 2026. He said that he’s known Marling for several years and he has been a huge help in Dodrill’s transition into the mayor’s seat.

“He’s been helping me out to make my move into the mayor’s office a very easy transition,” Dodrill said. “He’s a great mayor, great man, mentor, and a wonderful friend. He’s accomplished a lot while being mayor and I thank him for all that he’s done for the All-American Town.”